Diascia plant named ‘Dala Ros08’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Diascia  plant named ‘Dala Ros08’, characterized by its dense and bushy, rounded, spreading to semi-trailing plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; dark pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Diascia barberae.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Dala Ros08’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Diascia, botanically known as Diascia barberae, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dala Ros08’.

The new Diascia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Andijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-flowering Diascia cultivars with uniform plant habit and attractive flower colors.

The new Diascia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Andijk, The Netherlands in January, 2004 of a proprietary selection of Diascia barberae identified as code number DS03-98-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Diascia barberae identified as code number DS04-41-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Seeds resulting from the crossing were sown in March, 2004. The new cultivar Diascia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Andijk, The Netherlands in July, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Diascia by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Andijk, The Netherlands since July, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Diascia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Diascia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dala Ros08’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dala Ros08’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Diascia:

-   -   1. Dense and bushy, rounded, spreading to semi-trailing plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Dark pink-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Diascia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Diascia have longer internodes and longer         peduncles than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Diascia are more freely flowering than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Diascia have larger flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Diascia have darker pink-colored flowers         than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Diascia differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Diascia are more upright than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Diascia are larger and more dense than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Diascia have more intense pink-colored         flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the Diascia barberae ‘Dala Rossa’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,200. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Andijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Diascia differed from plants of ‘Dala Rossa’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Diascia were denser and fuller than plants         of ‘Dala Rossa’.     -   2. Plants of the new Diascia were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Dala Rossa’.     -   3. Plants of the new Diascia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Dala Rossa’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Diascia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Diascia. The photograph comprises a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dala Ros08’ grown in a container. Plants used for the photograph were grown in Gilroy, Calif. during the summer and autumn in an outdoor nursery and cultural conditions typical of Diascia production. Plants were six months old when the photograph was taken.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Hillscheid, Germany in 15-cm containers in a greenhouse during the spring and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. Plants were pinched one time and were three months old when the description was taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Diascia barberae ‘Dala Ros08’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Diascia             barberae identified as code number DS03-98-1, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Diascia             barberae identified as code number DS04-41-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—About 16 to 20 days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Dense and bushy, rounded,             spreading to semi-trailing plant habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; when pinched,             lateral branches potentially develop at every node.         -   Plant height.—About 26 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 60 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 30 cm to 35 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm to 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.5 cm to 4 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Decussate, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.2 cm to 3 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.7 cm to 2.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Weakly crenate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Developing foliage, palmate; fully             expanded foliage, pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 143B.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 144B. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: Between 137D and 143A;             venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: Close to 138B; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1 mm to 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm to             2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single flowers arranged on terminal             racemes in an alternate arrangement; zygomorphic with five             lobes fused at the base. Freely flowering habit with usually             about 15 open flowers and flower buds per raceme; about 60             to 110 racemes develop per plant. Flowers face upright and             outwardly. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower freely and             continuously from the spring into the fall in Germany.             Flowers last about three to four days on the plant. Flowers             not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 10 cm to 12 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2 cm to 2.2 cm.         -   Flower height.—About 2.1 cm to 2.3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 5 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape:             Conical with rounded base. Color: Close to 69A; towards the             edges, close to 68A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Corolla consists of five petals             modified into two banner petals, two lateral petals with             spurs and a protruding lip petal. Corolla tube length: About             1.5 cm to 1.7 cm. Banner lobe length: About 5 mm. Banner             lobe width: About 6 mm. Lateral lobe length: About 6 mm.             Lateral lobe width: About 7 mm. Lower lobe length: About 1             cm to 1.1 cm. Lower lobe width: About 1.4 cm to 1.5 cm.             Banner, lateral and lower lobe shape: Orbicular. Banner,             lateral and lower lobe apex: Rounded. Banner, lateral and             lower lobe margin: Entire. Banner, lateral and lower lobe             texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Spur             length: About 6 mm. Spur diameter: About 3 mm. Spur             orientation: Curved downward. Banner, lateral and lower lobe             color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 68A. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 70D. Fully developed, upper             surface: Close to 67B to 67C; towards the base of the banner             lobes, patch of close to 12A. Fully developed, lower             surface: Between 67C to 68A. Corolla tube, inside: Close to             60C to 60D. Corolla tube, outside: Close to 11A; fine lines,             close to 162B. Spur: Close to 70B.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a star-shaped             calyx. Length: About 2.5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Densely hirsute; rough. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 137D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 9 cm to 11 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Texture: Hirsute. Color: Close to 143A to 143B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture:             Finely pubescent. Color: Close to 137D tinted with 147A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number per flower:             About four. Filament length: About 3 mm Filament diameter:             About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to 70B. Anther shape:             Ovoid. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to             14D. Amount of pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 12A.             Gynoecium: Pistil number per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 145B. Stigma color: Close             to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Diascia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and a wide     range of temperatures. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Diascia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Diascia. 

1. A new and distinct Diascia plant named ‘Dala Ros08’ as illustrated and described. 